Local Pastors pertaining to Sacramental Privileges and Weddings per Bishop Leeland’s interpretation of The Book of Discipline paragraph 316.1. This is now the Local Pastors guideline:

“A local pastor has ministerial authority within the bounds of his/her appointment. This includes the physical location and the members/constituents of the appointment. A local pastor can do a wedding for a member of the church or someone related to the ministry setting. In the same way, sacramental authority is limited to these same boundaries. A local pastor may take Holy Communion to the hospital or shut-ins. A baptism may be done in a nearby lake or river. A local pastor may not do a college roommate or family member’s wedding unless they are a member of the church or the wedding is performed on the church property. When uncertain, consult with the district superintendent.”

The other change is the “Local Pastors can serve as an assistant spiritual director on a Walk to Emmaus of other fourth-day community.” This language is different in that before there was only “a Local Pastor may not serve as a the spiritual director” and no reference to “assistant.”